Vehicles
This page contains a list of vehicles, which are tools (sometimes organisms) used for transportation of other organisms, tools, food, or any other objects used (currently) only by humans. Land This is a list of land vehicles No Wheels *Dog Sled *Horse Two Wheels *Bicycle *Motorcycle *Motorized scooter *Moped Four Wheels See below. Tracked *Snowmobile *Tanks Four Wheels Cars ---- A car is a vehicle utilizing at least four wheels and an internal combustion engine. Without a doubt, they are the most common mode of transportation in the world.They are as follows: Economy cars An economy car is built for the soul purpose of saving fuel while still maintaining a legal road drivablity and some comfort for the passengers. There are many examples of economy cars in todays society, one of the best known is the Geo Metro. These are great for reliability, ease of use/repair, and very good on gasoline. Their drawbacks include their small size and light weight, they are not designed to support heavy loads or tow much weight. Good for long distance travel over open ground with little zombie cover. Can be over powered very easily though. Sub-compact car Subcompacts fall between the economy car and the compact. A small car that is a bit larger and has a larger cargo area than an economy car, usually a coupe or 3-door hatchback. Many of todays vehicles fall into this category, such as the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Nisan Versa, etc. These vehicles, even with slight modifications can out put a modest amount of power. They do offer room for personnel carrying, and are mainly used for the same purpose as an economy car, because these vehicles get anywhere from 30-35mpg. However they will not take the abuse that larger cars can and continue running. Compact cars The compact car is usually a small 4 or 5 door vehicle. They offer good gas mileage with the ability to carry a medium sized load. Many station wagons fall into the category, along with most Japanese/Korean/European sedans. Some well known compact cars include the Ford Focus and Honda Civic, both known for theit ease of repair and reliabilty, make compacts ideal vehicles. Mid size cars Filling in yet another size class is the midsize car. Examples include the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu. These vehicles are designed with passenger comfort/safety and power at the top priority, with fuel economy suffering compare to compact cars. These vehicles are ideal for moving around 4-5 people for a long distance. Full size cars Most American sedans, some luxury sedans, and alot of station wagons fall into this category. The obvious advantage to this Vehicle is its size and it's motor size. It can carry up to 7 people, and fitted with a roof rack, a decent amount of supplies. They have also been known to tow a decently sized load. Such examples range from the Toyota Avalon, Lexus LS400, Ford Taurus, Dodge Stratus, Chevy Impala, etc. The obvious downside to these are the fact they use 6-8 cylinder engines and consume alot of gas. Sports cars The obvious advantage of a sports car is its speed. Now the downside to this vehicle is the large engine and low gas milage, low storage space, and the lack of accessibility to parts. Hybrids A form of "enviromentally friendly" transportation. By combining two or more fuel sources, hybrids can attain high levels of fuel effeciency, consuming low amounts of fuel compared to other similar sized vehicles. In a zombie apocalypse situation, hybrids can be useful, as they will be less of a drain on your resources, and you will not be required to make as many forays to the gas station. However, hybrids are higher maintenance than other vehicles of their class, and are not particularly hardy being made of light weight materials and lack the off road capabilities of other vehicles. Another advantage to hybrids is the fact that they make very little noise, allowing for stealth as well as armor. Trucks ---- Pick-up Truck Many types of pick up trucks exist in todays world. You can get many variations, from 4 cylinder gas sippers all the way up to 12 cylinder gasoline monsters. The most commonly available one would have to be a 6 or 8cyl 4wd American made vehicle getting anywhere from 15-27 mpg. These have many advantages and few downfalls. The ability to tow, haul cargo in the bed, crew cabs have 4 doors and can carry people as well. The only down sides are the modest gas milage and the lack of personal space. SUV An SUV is a Sport Utility Vehicle. The basic SUV is based off of a pick up truck frame and usually carries the same 4wd capabilities, gas milage, towing/hauling abilities, but can carry many more people. Fitted with a roof rack, they can also carry much more supplies. A good choice in this category would be an early nineties S-10 Blazer or S-15 Jimmy due to their rugged reliability and decent fuel consumption. One such vehicle nicknamed "the Jimmer" by its uses was instemental in fighting zombies during an outbreak in rural Pennsylvannia for transportation and in a few cases running down groups of zombies in the road. But be warned: many SUVs were never intended to be anything more than a suburban luxury vehicle, and off-road or other strenuous will cause them to (often literally) fall apart. Research the vehicles in question to see if they are suitable for your purposes. Full Size A full size SUV example is the GMC/Chevy Suburban, The Ford Expediton, or the Toyota Land Cruiser & Sequoia. They offer better personel carrying capabilities. These vehicles exhibit extreme durability and ruggedness at the expense of milage. The same precautions regarding more standard SUVs also applies to their full-sized cousins. They may all bear the label of a sport utility vehicle, but many are just glorified luxury vehicles. Compact The compact SUV is something of a mix between a full size car and a box on wheels. The Suzuki Samurai and the Geo/Chevy Tracker fall into this category. Most use large 4cyl or small 6cyl engines and get decent gas mileage. The obvious dis-advantage is the small size and small wheel base. Dump Truck Dump trucks can be either gasoline or diesel. I will group the Garbage truck into the category for the purpose of size similarity. They are large trucks, usually fitted with a large "bed" with side walls and the ability to articulate the bed to a 45 degree angle. Advantages are the load size, the power, and the vehicle size. Disadvantages are again size and the low gas mileage. Diesel Trucks Diesel trucks can be consumer pick ups or tractor trailers used for commercial delivery. Many american pickup truck are available with a diesel engine. These have a distinct advantage of a much simpler engine sytem, long term durability and potential fuel savings for distance travel. Consumer Diesel The consumer diesel is usually a large truck with a 8-12cyl engine and can come in a N/a(naturally aspirated) or turbo diesel version. They are usually used as everyday drivers, farm trucks, or as ambulances/work trucks. They get decent gas mileage and are rather large, the main downfall of this is the lack of diesel fuel, but an advantage is the ability to switch over to biodiesel. Commercial Diesel Commercial diesel is usually confined to large semi trucks. Usually with sleeper cabs and the ability to haul extremely large loads, the main downfalls to this type of vehichle is its size and low maneuverability. Vans More suitable to carrying passengers than anything else. Vans are availble in two main forms: Minivans, usually with low-displacement V6's. They are only useful for moving people and light cargo and they are based on FWD unibody car platforms which can only handle mild abuse. The second options are Cargo vans. These vans are based on RWD truck chassis and while having more space and durabily than a minivan, they are also much more thristy and are better for moving things short distances. Buses Slow and ungainly, Buses are only effective at transporting people on paved roads clear of obstructions, or on highways. They are often still filled with passengers when the outbreaks hit, thus making them likely to be loaded with zombies and difficult to obtain. They can be commonly found in heavy urban areas, but can occasionally be found in smaller towns and on deserted highways. They are very easy to fortify using sheet metal and other standard equipment, and can make a temporary or permenant base. Their large mass means they take very little damage in collisions with zombies. In addition, they have extremely powerful engines, large fuel tanks and large tires, making them ideal for short or long distance transport. Double-Decker Double-decker buses are recommended more than others, as the lower deck can be used as storage for water and fuel, while the upper compartment can be converted into a living space for one or more people. The additional height makes them excellent mobile sniper posts, enabling zombies to be seen at the earliest possible oppurtunity. Weight must be concentrated in the lower compartment, however, to keep the center of gravity low and avoid tipping on violent corners. Single-Decker Luxury ORV ORV or Off Road Vehicle addresses a small amount of different vehicles ranging from atv's to amphibious vehicles. ATV ATV wouldn't be a bad choice if you weren't going long distance. ATVs can manouver well and accelerate quickly. Although ATVs have no protection, it's better than walking Amphibious Vehicles such as the ARGO are basically and ATV with slight water going properties. They handle similar to ATVs on land their tub body allows them to travers water albeit at a slow rate of speed. Farming equipment If you make a base you need to have food, and since there are zombies walking around, you might not feel comfortable with travelling to the local supermarket and risk an encounter where death is ineviatble. Plant seeds, trees for long term zombie invasions. Travel-friendly food items are key. Things that you can carry with you on the go for trips into urban areas. Food like carrots, apples, celery, pears, peas, etc. Are essential because you can carry them in a pack and they won't mush when you throw your survival kit over a fence like a banana would. Construction Equipment Trains Military Vehicles Cargo Trucks Technichly not very different than most civilian trucks, these are easy to drive for anyone with enough experience in driving trucks. However, they are loud, large and need a large ammount of fuel. These trucks can be handy for moving large ammounts of people and supplies across long distances and should be easy to find if the military begins rapid retreats. APCs APC's or Armored Personnel Carriers, are military vehicles that are the middle line between a truck and a tank. They are often armed with heavy machine guns or cannons with a few anti-tank missiles and have sections where a number of people can be contained within. They are used as an armored transport to shuttle troops to and from battlefield locations rapidly and without unnessiscary risk. APC's usually have either wheels or treads. Treaded APC's are usually more manuverable, have better offroad capabilities and better armored than wheeled APC's, but wheeled APC's are often easier to maintain and faster than tracked APC's. Tanks Tanks are heavily armored, tracked vehicles that are armed with a large main gun, and sport at least 1 or more coaxial and mounted machine guns. They are exceedingly heavy vehicles, with modern main battle tanks weighing in from 60-70 tons fully fueled and loaded. This can limit ther utility in swampy, boggy terrain. They require several crew members to drive, load, and fire the onboard weapon systems, and have little to no internal capacity for passengers. Despite these drawbacks, they are exceedingly effective against infantry targets, especially against forces without anti-armor capabilities (this obviously includes zombies). They crew compartment can be fully sealed against CBRN threats, and is impenetrable to forced entry, and the crew can fire most of the weapons - including the machine guns - while the tank is "buttoned up". As noted before, they are incredibly well armed. The M1 Abrams, for example, carries three machine guns in addition to its main gun, with one coaxial medium machine gun, and a heavy and medium machinegun mounted on top of the turret. This would prove devastating in an assault or clearing operation, and would serve as an excellent infantry support vehicle, as long as fuel is available in large quantities. If any survivors have the know-how to operate an armored vehicle, and have access to one, it would be a great boon to any survival efforts. Sea Boats A boat (depending on the size) can be a pretty good way to live, most boats have living quaters and enough storage for food to last a few months. However you always run the risk of being stranded and the risk that zombies can walk on the ocean floor. Sailboats A sailboat can do quite nicely and is about the same as a boat, however if there are zombies on the ocean floor and there is no wind you could be in serious trouble. Speedboats A speedboat is a faster version of a boat, with different advantages and disadvantages. A speedboat is good from getting away from other survivors, but besides that you're better of with a motorboat. Rafts A raft might be good in a swamp scenario but not much else. Rafts can break easily and offer no protection from water-borne undead. Dinghy A dinghy is effectively a small boat used as a last escape for yachts or other medium sized ships. A dinghy can be used to the same effectiveness as a raft, with the exception that most dinghies come equipped with a flaregun and signal mirror. Jet Ski A jet ski is a good vehicle if evading zombies, but should only be used for short periods of time such as a day or two, for it has no cargo space. once again the risk of underwater zombies or airborne zombies. The jet ski may also be a useful vehicle for clearing beaches of the undead, if especially if a driver and a shooter were together on it. The jet ski could idle offshore and zombies could be shot from a distance. This may be a good tactic for defending a beach from an attack but it should only be used on small hordes, as zombies can travel a small distance through water. Fishing Boats Trawlers Yachts Luxury boats Luxury Yacht In a way a yacht as a base has tons of advantages as it is speedy on water and can store fairly large amount of supplies and is also comfortabe for the survivors the major draw back is how to get fuel on it after you use all of the boats oil as being stranded on sea can mean floating undead paradise... also the acces to private yachts are only for those with money as it is usually a status symbol for rich and famous. Cruise Ships Cruise ships are large, multi-deck vessels that can house a large number of people in comfort. However, in a zombie outbreak scenario, avoid these like the plague. As other cases have proven, infectious diseases that break out on a cruise ship can spread rapidly and with little warning. Most cruise ships would be nothing more than floating outbreak centers at this point, filled with hundreds of zombies. Container Ships Container ships do exactly what their name says, containing large ammounts of cargo. These can be anything from cars to food. While these boats can be as large as military ships, these craft do not have a large crew. Most modern container ships only require a crew of about twenty or so. If they can be properly crewed and navigated, these can be handy transport vessels for large ammounts of people. However, there is always a possibility that an outbreak could occur on one of these ships, and if already out at sea, the chances of one escaping or survivng are virtually nil. Ultimately, these ships may be more than most can handle. Military Vessels Military Vessels, such as destroyers and aircraft carriers, can be quite desireable IF you can aquire them. In the navies of the United States Navy and other NATO nations, many of the more modern ships are powered by nuclear reactors which do not require refueling and can travel at sea for years at a time. They also have powerful weapons systems such as guided missiles and autocannons. Aircraft Carriers are floating cities, complete with kitchens, stores, bunks and medical centers. However, there are several negative points. Without proper maitenence, a nuclear reactor will enter a state of meltdown, severely damaging the ship and likely giving everyone onboard fatal radiation poisioning. Second is the fact that most ships on long stretches of travel require regular supplies to function at top condition and to keep the crew healthy. Third, if an outbreak occured before proper quarantine procedures were undertaken, these would be nothing more than floating infestations, loaded with zombie crewmembers. And finally, if it is still crewed by the living, they would be very unwilling to relinquish control of their ship, to the point of considering anyone who tries to force their way aboard as pirates to be exterminated. Note: outside of NATO-allied nations, most naval vessels are propelled by Dissel engines or electrical batteries. These require regular refueling and recharging. Submarines Hydrofoil Hovercraft Airboat Inner tube Use an inner tube only as a last resort. The only good thing these are for is keeping you afloat for a few days and maybe carring a few cans of food. Air Airplane Airplanes are fixed-winged aircraft that are heavier than air and travel under their own power. All airplanes share some common feautres and requirements. In order to land, they all require a length of clear runway, free of debris or damage. They also normally use specialized fuels and will not run on ordinary gasoline. Also, many planes require a high degree of maitenence to run smoothly. Airplanes also require specialized training to both operate and maintain. Only a few people outside of government agencies know how to pilot airplanes. This ultimately makes them somewhat of a novelty item, as they are restricted for use by a select few people. However, if the above requirements can be met, then it can be extremely useful to have an airplane and pilot available. Propeller Plane The first planes used propellers, bladed rotors placed on the front or back to propell the plane through the air. Though largely replaced by jet aircraft, these planes can still be found used by private owners or isolated airfields, with older models both functioning and non-functioning found in aerospace museums. Propeller aircraft do not use as much fuel as jets and can take off and land on shorter, rougher runways. Thus, these planes are popular with bush-pilots who have to fly in remote territories, and why if you have to get in a plane they are the most desirable in a zombie outbreak scenario. These planes can also range from small single-engine lightweight Cesnas to larger transport planes such as C-47 Skytrains. Jet Plane Jet propultion systems were invented before World War 2 and were first used during that conflict on German fighter aircraft. The Jet then became more popular than popellers due to their higher speed. Jets range from slow and ungainly transport aircraft like the Il-76 to high-performance fighter aircraft like the F-22 Raptor. Jets are not desireable as aircraft to procure in a zombie outbreak. This is because jet aircraft reqire much more runway space than propeller aircraft (exceptions being S/VTOL airplanes), require more specialized fuel than propeller aircraft and are more technically complex than propeller aircraft. However, if you have a well-maintained runway and an ample supply of fuel, one could maintain such an aircraft and use it for relatively rapid, international travel. Commercial Jet Liner Comercial Jet Liners are not a smart idea for any sustained use as an aircraft in a zombie outbreak scenario. They are large, complex, require long and clear runways, can be difficult to fly and need specialized fuel and a large skilled repair crew. Their interiors are also cramped, with little room to maneuver. Any plane found would have to be sweeped for any undead presence, as the aformentioned cramped conditions make them a nightmare should a zombie outbreak occur. Overall, avoid these vehicles as transport. However, due to the fact that all enterances are located above the ground and the enterances are very tightly sealed, it is possible to use them as a temporary shelter. They also often contain non-perishable foodstuffs such as packaged peanuts, which while somewhat meager, are better than nothing. Helicopter Moderately large aircraft, useful as a short-range fast transport (especially in areas too cluttered to land a plane), mobile spotting platform and as an airborne firebase to support infantry while clearing zombies out of an area. Can also be used for roof landings to gain entry to otherwise inaccessible buildings. Hot Air Balloon Hot air balloons may seem impractical, but in truth are quite ideal to use. Their only con is weight restriction. It can be able to carry one person and possibly a week's supply of food. They can fly at extremely high altitudes, providing the passenger a beautiful view (and not to mention the advantage over the zombies with a long ranged weapon), and are frankly not that hard to come by if you know where to get one.There is a techinque that piper cub pilots used durring WW2 to fly them for atleast 30 days. Steve Fossett rode one around the world, though it has only been done once. Airship or Blimp If you can find one, and find gas to fill it with, you have an almost impenetrable flying fortress. Although the Navigational equipment and engines will go out eventually, the Blimp will remain buoyant and floating as long as there is gas in it. This could be anything from 3 months to a year depending on the Airship's quality. NEVER USE HYDROGEN as Blimps will usually fly low and Airships will, although they are flying higher, succumb to accident eventually. Remember the Hindenburg Spacecraft A spacecraft may seem comforting, and while there is no way the undead will get you (unless they stowed away), there are much bigger problems, you would have to undergo years of training to even hope to launch and land a spacecraft. However, if you are an astronaut and have a trained crew and there is no other way, then why not spend a month in space? But remember to excercise or when you descend your muscles will be weak and you won't be able to walk. Gliders A glider is a relatively impractical vehicle, however if you live in a coastal or plateau covered area one could be useful. Gliders can be used to jump off of a mountain, mesa, or hill to travel a few hundred, if not thousand feet. However if you aren't trained you could easily end up killing yourself. Cross country gliders, used to travel hundreds of kilometers do exist; however, these are at the mercy of local weather conditions and can hardly be called reliable transport. Furthermore, the ability to make use of thermals (columns of rising air, which gliders can use to extend their flights) can take years of flying experience. Parachute Can be useful in an emergency situation, but once in the air, you are almost completely helpless, you may be able to hit the ground running, but depending on the terrain, you also could get stuck in a tree. (Read World War Z for an example) The cloth could be cut up and used for anything from a bandage to a blanket. ONLY USE A PARACHUTE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.